Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Hypoallergenic Dog Treats

Did you know that over 20% of dogs have allergies to specific meat and grains?
Ten percent of all allergy cases in dogs are food allergies. Dogs also can suffer from food intolerance, which is different from a food allergy.
The common signs of a food allergy in dogs is chronic ear infections, digestive problems, licking of paws and feed, diarrhea and an itchy rear end.
The most common allergens are beef, dairy, wheat, egg, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, rabbit, and fish. And, most dogs are usually allergic to more than one thing.

What Are the General Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs?

  • Itchy, red, moist or scabbed skin
  • Increased scratching
  • Itchy, runny eyes
  • Itchy back or base of tail (most commonly flea allergy)
  • Itchy ears and ear infections
  • Sneezing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Snoring caused by an inflamed throat
  • Paw chewing/swollen paws
  • Constant licking 
Allergic dogs may also suffer from secondary bacterial or yeast skin infections, which may cause hair loss, scabs or crusts on the skin. 
The only way to diagnose a food allergy is to feed your dog a prescription or hydrolyzed protein diet exclusively for 12 weeks. The importance of not feeding your dog anything but the diet cannot be emphasized enough—that means no treats, table food or flavored medication. This diet will be free of potential allergy-causing ingredients and will ideally have ingredients your dog has never been exposed to. He’ll remain on the diet until his symptoms go away, at which time you’ll begin to reintroduce old foods to see which ones might be causing the allergic reaction. Most veterinarians take your dog off all the foods it's eating and then put him on a food that he's never had before. With all the exotic diets out there now, this can be pretty difficult. Once the dog has improved, you start reintroducing the old foods that may have caused the problems in the first place. If your dog has a reaction, which usually takes a few days to a few weeks, then you know he has a food allergy.

Dog can develop an allergy to a food that they have eaten for years.
Holistic veterinarians are recommending the use of probiotics at an early age for puppies and kittens.
Their feeling is that these help maintain the balance in the gut and maybe stave off the development of allergies later.

Once your veterinarian has determined what kind of allergies your dog has then you are now challenged to find treats that do not contain the meat source or grains your dog is allergic to.

K9 Granola Factory Grain Free Duck Crunchers
At Mickey's Pet Supplies, we have done an extensive amount of research to find the highest quality, made in USA treats and chews for your dogs. We carry grain free treats from Sojos, K9 Granola factory, Arctic Paws and a great selection of dog chews such as lamb ears, buffalo chews, Himalayan dog chews, venison and duck. 
Check out our Hypoallergenic dog treats section.

Don't give up hope, there are so many treats and healthy dog chews for your dog.

Visit us at http://www.mickeyspetsupplies.com
or Call 877-863-5431.  We are happy to help with recommendations of the right treat or chew for your "fur babies'.

Use coupon code BLGA724 at checkout for $3 off your $30 order.